Driving Impressions

Our Camaro had a truly throaty V6 (the kind that mimics the noisy shenanigans of the V8), provided really good torque for its displacement and moved our car smartly along when floored. And we got reasonably decent fuel economy thrown in. The engine did, however, tend to be a bit on the raucous side. We also wished the 5-speed transmission was a bit smoother and less notchy and noisy. And shift quality was average to stiff. We can't help but wonder why, if all of the Japanese automakers can build quiet manual transmissions, can't General Motors get one from its suppliers? The ride of all Camaros, we have discovered over the years, tends to be a bit on the rough side, but the grip is outstanding and the car follows orders beautifully through a power steering system that requires some driver participation. You don't have to actually lift your shoulders off the back of your seat to turn the steering wheel, but it does take some effort. The Camaro tracks wonderfully, though, and likes to run down rural 2-laners as much as any of the sporty pretenders. Our car felt more solid and pulled-together than previous models, which were too flimsy when subjected to harsh conditions such as slushy roads.

Final Word

With its durable plastic body panels, much-improved quality (as compared with 1993 models), hatchback utility and a very high fun/looks factor, the rear-drive Chevrolet Camaro is an excellent value. It stacks up well versus a great many Japanese coupes, and better in most ways than its cousin Firebird or the vaunted Mustang. But the Mustang convertible holds a slight edge in quality and noise/vibration harshness performance over the Camaro convertible.